News

Obasanjo Says Continuity Vital For Effective Reforms In Civil Service

Published

7 months ago

July 30, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that there must be continuity for any reforms to be effective in Nigeria.

The former President stated this at the Aig Imoukhuede Foundation Annual Workshop with the theme “Rethinking Reforms, focusing on Why Many Reforms Fail In Nigeria and What We Can Do About Us”, on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Obasanjo the greatest pain of reform is discontinuity and that the best thing for any reform would be for the initiator, the owner, the executor, the driver and the sustainer to be continual.

“Any break in continuity means virtually the end of reform. And then one thing we must understand is reform is a lifelong thing. The process of reform, even in your daily life, in your own life, you are reforming.

“You are making adjustment. So why should it be difficult? I don’t believe that it should be difficult. When I was looking for debt relief, one of the things that they told me as I went around the world is reform.

“Now, the point I am making is that reform is continual. It is not a destination. It is a journey”, he stated.

Former President Obasanjo also said there is the need for recognition of technocrats in the civil service, stateinh that they play a crucial role in driving reforms and effective governance.

He explained “Technocrats have power, and we must recognise that”, even as he’d referred to the Permanent Secretaries and other civil servants as the tetechnocrats.

Her added: “And that journey must continue. Now, I have met and I have had to deal with some of the best in the public service of this country. And we have, and from the point you have made, it will appear that those that I have met and dealt with, you still have people like that in the service today.

“The point is that we need as good men and women in the public service as we need in the private sector. And the public service, if you look very hard, as I had looked when I had the opportunity, the public service contains some of the best men and women in every sense of the word that you can find in this country. The question is that some of them are frustrated.

“Some of them are inadequately rewarded. And this we have to take note of and correct where we need to correct. The second point, or the third point I want to make, for the public service, and it is the entire public service, which means the executive, the legislative, the judiciary, and the technocrats.

“Normally, we tend to leave the technocrat. And that’s a mistake. They have power”.

According to him, for any reform to succeed there must be collaboration between political heads and technocrats.

“Reform requires political heads and technocrats working together, respecting and understanding each other. That’s when you can have real reform.

“Why many reforms in Nigeria, why many reform fails in Nigeria, and what we can do about it. Outgoing Head of Service, I want to thank you for all that you are doing and all that you have done and all that remains to be done”, he asserted.

In her address, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Esan, acknowledged that there are challenges and impediments in the implementation of successful reform programmes in Nigeria.

She noted that there is need for the reform action to deal with those challenges and listed them.

“The first is a lack of inclusive implementation strategy framework. Poor funding and inadequate budgetary provisions in the MTAs to fund the implementation of reforms.

“Lack of skilled manpower. Poor communication at planning and implementation stages. Poor or total lack of ownership of reforms by sub-nationals.

“Poor involvement of citizens. Lack of synergy between the public and private sector organizations. Lack of synergy amongst implementing MTAs.

“Policy somersaults and rivalry and conflict of interest even among government institutions. Some others include lack of political will and ownership to support reform implementation. Resistance to change.

“Poor ICT infrastructure. Political interferences in bureaucratic processes. Dwindling support by partners.

“Lack of legislation to legalize and institutionalize reforms. Lack of institutional capacity. Weak governance structures around the reform processes.

“Inadequate follow-through mechanisms for implementation of reforms. And lastly, a lack of shared wisdom, vision on national development among others. And so with all these impediments, barriers to reforms, in 2020, the Office of the Head of Service had an opportunity to review the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan”, Esan stated.

She revealed that efforts made to address these challenges, includes wide stakeholder consultation, governance structure for reform initiatives, and capacity building.

The HoS noted the key elements for successful reform pprogrammes which she identifies as “Systems and support structures, partnerships, high-level monitoring, capacity building, compensation systems, and change management strategy are crucial for success”.

She also acknowledged the progress made in re-engineering the civil service, saying, “It is essential to recognize and celebrate the good work of our officers and partners while sanctioning indiscipline and poor performance.”

In his welcome address, the chairman Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede highlighted the importance of efficient and motivated public service in achieving good governance, production and distribution of public goods, formulation and implementation of economic policy, and management of public expenditure.

He noted that Nigeria’s current Human Development Index ranking of 161 out of 189 countries is a reflection of the performance of government over several decades.

He emphasised the need for a strong public service, saying, “This is what is holding us back. And you would agree that there’s a correlation between the strength of a country’s public sector and its strength as a nation.”

Aig-Imoukhuede also highlighted the foundation’s efforts to transform public service delivery, including building a critical mass of public sector leaders, providing technical support and funding for digitization efforts, and upskilling thousands of workers in the civil service.

“It’s simple. There’s nothing you can do about it. This is why all nations in the world have a continuing focus on ensuring that their government works.

“This is the aim of government reform, to create a government workforce of the size and with the skills, and it doesn’t end there, with the incentives, ethos, and accountability needed to provide quality public services and carry out the functions stated in Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution. This is what is holding us back. And you would agree that there’s a correlation between the strength of a country’s public sector and its strength as a nation.

“As a result, the most important objective of any nation in the 21st century is to have an effective and efficient public service. It is with this belief in mind that my wife Ofoe and I founded the Aike Wakode Foundation. We are convinced that improved public services lead to better outcomes for our people, communities, and economies.

“Through our support, the service has successfully digitized thousands of files, automated 300 processes, acquired hundreds of new digital devices. In addition, our collaboration with Microsoft, we are upskilling thousands of workers in the civil service. A key area of our support to the civil service is the culture change program.

“To change the mindset of this key constituency, we provide communication training, culture change campaign videos, and ongoing assistance for the publication of official newsletters. We’ve helped to develop the civil service culture handbook, better than actually many of the culture handbooks I’ve seen in the private sector, but we must make it work, that applies the values, behaviors, and practices that are essential for delivering the state’s chapter 200. A key element of our foundation’s theory of change is to ensure that every Nigerian citizen takes ownership of the critical need to reform the public service.

“It is not their public service, it is your public service, it is our public service, and understand that as it strengthens, you strengthen as well. So we must join hands, come together, and make it work. This commitment brings us to the purpose of this gathering today, to discuss the topic, rethinking reforms, why many reforms fail in Nigeria, and what we can do about it”, he stated.

The Chairman therefore called on stakeholders to come together and commit to reform the public service, even as he said, this conversation does not end here. And indeed, the Nigerian Public Sector Reform Project reboots here.

News

FG terminates Visa-on-Arrival policy, says Nigeria not a haven for criminals

Published

7 hours ago

February 22, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Federal Government has ended the Visa-on-Arrival policy, saying that Nigeria is not a destination for criminals

The Minister of Interior Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo who made the announcement, said the policy was not effective.

He disclosed that government had noticed a pattern where people avoid travelling into the country directly by air, only to land at neighbouring countries and complete their journeys through land borders.

He described the scenario as unacceptable, saying the Federal Government would unveil a multi-faceted solution by March or April to take care of grey areas on entry into and exit out of the country.

Tunji-Ojo said in place of Visa-on-Arrival, landing and exit cards will be introduced and integrated into the solutions for travelers to complete before arriving in Nigeria.

The Visa-on-Arrival policy was introduced in 2020 as a short-stay visa issued at entry points, but the Minister said the policy failed to meet global standards and best practices as it was not done anywhere in the world.

Tunji-Ojo spoke at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS) on Friday during the closing ceremony of the five-day training and capacity building programmes on Advanced Passenger Information-Passenger Name Record, API/PNR System for NIS officers.

The capacity building for 100 Officers was organised by the Nigeria Immigration Service under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of the Service, Mrs Kemi Nanna Nandap.

Tunji-Ojo said:” The Visa-on-Arrival issue is one of the core policy issues because I always tell people the visa is not just an approval of entry, it is a migration management device.

“It is a security device to manage migration into your country. So the way it is at the moment is very subjective. We are not really too objective and that is why we are automating the whole process end-to-end.

“And the e-visa solution, we are working hard to be able to meet the first of March or peradventure if we are unable, the first of April, we will hit it live.

“We will automate the system. People apply online and we will do what we need to do. That solution will be integrated with the Interpol system, the criminal records system, so that we can be able to take decisions.

“We do not want foreign attachés approving and issuing visas. It is not going to be that any more, we want to be able to screen people. This country cannot be a destination for wanted criminals in the world. Nigeria is not a safe haven for any criminal and it will never be.”

The Minister who said about 60 of the border solutions are being completed in Nigeria various borders, land maritime and air, insisted that the security of the country and her citizens remained sacrosanct under the present administration.

He said: ”Today, we have had, we have sorted the API across all of our five international airports and we are looking at working with you more on the issue of adapting some of these into our land borders because it is also very key.

“Because we realised the pattern, of recent, I think, over the last couple of weeks, that a lot of people would rather fly to neighbouring countries and come into Nigeria through the land borders to evade the API PNR system. So we have seen that pattern.”

Tunji-Ojo assured that when all the e-solutions are deployed it would be linked not only with all security agencies at home but also globally, and especially with interpol so that persons of interests can be arrested at anywhere.

Nandap commended President Bola Tinubu and the Minister for their commitment to the ongoing reforms in the NIS, saying that the reforms have changed the narratives for the better.

News

Suspended Ogun monarch meet bail conditions after two weeks in jail

Published

7 hours ago

February 22, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Oba Abdulsemiu Ogunjobi, the suspended Olorile of Orile-Ifo in Ogun State, has been freed from prison in Ilaro, two weeks after being charged with the alleged public assault of a septuagenarian.

He was brought before a Magistrate’s Court in Ifo by law enforcement, where he was granted bail but subsequently held at the Nigeria Correctional Service in Ilaro, within the Yewa South Local Government Area, until he fulfilled the requirements of his bail.

The spokesperson of Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr. Odukoya Owolola Olayinka, a Superintendent of NCoS, told The Nation that Oba Ogunjobi had gone home about three days ago after meeting his bail terms.

“He (Oba Ogunjobi) has gone home about three days ago,” Olayinka said.

Oba Ogunjobi was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, assault, and conduct likely to lead to a breach of peace.

Force spokesman, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the arraignment in his social media post, stating that the monarch was charged to court.

“The Kabiyesi Abdulsemiu Ogunjobi, who assaulted one elderly man in a viral video, in Ifo Ogun State, has been charged to court February 4, 2025, on three-count charges of conspiracy, assault and conduct likely to lead to a breach of peace.

“He was granted bail while the case was adjourned to 06/03/2025. The police will continue to uphold the rule of law and the core values of the noble profession,” Adejobi stated.

Oba Ogunjobi who was arraigned before Magistrate F.A Iroko, pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

The Magistrate granted him bail of N5m, with two sureties in like sum, and he must be a resident within the court jurisdiction.

News

Court jails Cooperative Society CEO over N2bn fraud in Calabar

Published

7 hours ago

February 22, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court in Calabar has convicted and sentenced the Chief Executive Officer, Micheno Multi-purpose Cooperative Society, Uno Michael Eke to one year imprisonment for conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretence and money laundering to the tune of N2billion.

He was jailed after pleading guilty to four-count amended charge preferred against him by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Count One reads “That you, Uno Michael Eke (being the President/Chief Executive Officer of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society); Registered Trustees of Micheno Multi Purpose Cooperative Society, MMCS, Aya Kanu Aya, (Alias Mbakara) being the Vice President of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (now at large), sometime between June and August 2018 in Calabar within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: obtaining property by false pretence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act’.

Count two reads “That you, Uno Michael Eke (being the President/Chief Executive Officer of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society), Registered Trustees of Micheno Multi Purpose Cooperative Society, MMCS, Aya Kanu Aya (Alias Mbakara) being the Vice President of Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (now at large), on or about the 12th day of July, 2018 in Calabar within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000.00) from one Kubnse Ogar Ebute by inducing her to invest the money into your Swiss golden packages through your Micheno Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society ltd under the false pretence of paying her 80% as return on investment on her principal sum on the 40th day of his investment, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

When the charge was read to Eke, he pleaded guilty to the criminal offence.

In view of his guilty plea, the prosecuting EFCC’s lawyer, Joshua Abolarin prayed the court to convict the defendant based on the charges before the court. The defence lawyer , Ime Umanah informed the court of a plea bargain agreement before the court and prayed for a lighter jail term for his client.

The judge, after considering the plea of the convict and evidence before the court, convicted and sentenced Eke to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N2m Also, the convict was ordered to forfeit the following to the Federal Government of Nigeria:

Twelve wflats of 2 bedrooms each located by Goodluck Jonathan bypass, Calabar River State, two (2) plots of land (4.162 hectares and 3.391 hectares) both located at Adiabo Ikot Mboout Community Land, Odupkpani LocAl Government Area, Cross River State, two (2) plots of land located at Akai Effa, Calabar Municipality, Cross River State and eighteen (18) self-contained flats (storey building), located beside University of Calabar, Ita-Agbor, Calabar, Cross River State and N10,000.000( Ten Million Naira) recovered during investigation. The judge ordered that all monies recovered from the convict should be restituted to victims listed in all the charges.

Eke’s road to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested for collecting huge sums of money from different unsuspecting victims with a promise of 80% return on investment within 40 days. Investigations showed that he opened different bank accounts in his name and company’s where he raked in the sum of N2 billion from his victims. The funds were used to acquire landed properties and houses in Calabar, Cross River State.